The Best Pigeon Forge Restaurants

Possibly one of the most-asked questions that Pigeon Forge locals get all the time is “Where is the best place to eat in Pigeon Forge?”. It can be daunting trying to choose among the numerous Pigeon Forge restaurants up and down the parkway, which ends up leaving many people choosing the safe route and picking a chain restaurant they have had before. Going the safe route is…well..safe, but it sure isn’t fun! If you want to eat at the best Pigeon Forge restaurants without hitting a single chain, then keep reading to discover the best eateries in Pigeon Forge TN!

This ultimate guide to the best Pigeon Forge restaurants reveals the very best places to eat in Pigeon Forge, TN as rated by visitors as well as locals, which gives the list a mix of variety. In fact, #1 on our list is such a favorite dining choice by locals that we hesitated putting it on the list just because we rather enjoy the lack of crowds and wait times! Fortunately for you, though, it made the list…and you can see the absolute favorite restaurant of locals along with the other best restaurants in Pigeon Forge TN.

Full map with each restaurant marked for access to reviews, directions, etc

Seriously, we’ve packed as much information into this Pigeon Forge restaurant guide that we could find. If you end up eating at any of these restaurants in Pigeon Forge, please share your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Tips for Eating at Pigeon Forge Restaurants

Locals not only know where to eat in Pigeon Forge, but also when to eat. It’s no secret that weekends are the busiest times, but hours are also a huge factor. Choosing to eat lunch at 11 can help miss a much bigger crowd that fills in around 12. Dinner wait times are lowest before 5:30 and after 7:30.

Call ahead! Before heading to your chosen restaurant in Pigeon Forge, be sure to put the phone numbers to use below and call ahead. See if the restaurant takes reservations or call-ahead seating. You’ll feel like VIP sliding by the rest of the crowd standing & waiting for tables to open up.

Ask about favorite dishes. Be sure to ask the waiter/waitress what the most popular/best items are on the menu. Most of the choices can be trusted…but if you’re second-guessing their suggestion, just go with your gut! No pun intended…

Take in the history. Some restaurants in Pigeon Forge have a unique history behind them. The Old Mill Restaurant and The Log Cabin Pancake House are a couple of examples. Take time to read their history often printed on the menu or available near the entrance. It’ll give you a different appreciation for the restaurant, owners, and locals that helped build what they are today

Try not to dine & dash. Many of these restaurants have a charming atmosphere to them, which adds to why they made the list. The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grill for example has a neat area behind their restaurant with outdoor seating, flower, koi pond, and more. The Old Mill Restaurant has an original water-powered mill built in 1830 used for grinding cornmeal and is still used to this day just the way it was when it was built. Definitely worth checking out!

Okay, so there are a few tips before diving into the list. Remember, the list below offers a variety of dining options from authentic southern cookin’ to Japanese Hibachi…yes, Japanese. There’s literally something for everyone in this list, so enjoy!

The 10 Best Pigeon Forge Restaurants

(Since operating days & hours may change, be sure to check in advance with each restaurant as they may differ from what is listed below)

The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille
Want to eat where the locals eat? Want unique, different, homemade foods that will leave you salivating for more…especially when you go back home after vacation? We’ve known visitors to come back to Pigeon Forge just because of this restaurant. Seriously, it’s that good. We highly suggest The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille for lunch. It’s fantastic for dinner as well, but the lunch absolutely cannot be topped by any other restaurant in Pigeon Forge. It’s located across the street from it’s sister restaurant, The Old Mill Restaurant. Don’t let the Pottery House’s size fool you, though…dynamite comes in small packages! Our recommendations are the Original Chicken Reuben and the Pottery House Grilled Club. Also, their Lemonade Pie is a fantastic dessert choice! Or, my favorite, order the chocolate pecan pie and ask them to warm it just a little…amazing!
175 Old Mill Avenue
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868Click for a map and directions
865-453-6002
Lunch: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Daily
Dinner:4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Sun.-Thurs. | 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Fri. & Sat.
Sample menu: http://oldmillsquare.com/oms_lunch_menu.pdf
Website: http://oldmillsquare.com/cafe.htm

The Old Mill Restaurant
While The Old Mill Pottery House & Cafe is popular among locals for lunch, The Old Mill Restaurant is just as popular with vacationers. We’d suggest either breakfast or dinner…simply because you should be heading across the street to the Pottery House for lunch!
175 Old Mill Avenue
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868Click for a map & directions
(865-429-DINE)
Open Daily From 8:00 am – 9:00 pm (off season hours vary)
Sample menus: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Website: http://oldmillsquare.com/restaurant.htm

J.T. Hannah’s Kitchen
J.T. Hannah’s is one of the newest restaurants on this list and has been well-received by locals and visitors alike. They have a little bit of everything, so people tend to easily find something on the menu they love. They even provide a menu of gluten free food options as well!
3214 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863Click for a map & directions
Phone: (865) 428-4200
Website & Menu: http://jthannahs.com

Smoky Mountain Brewery
Perhaps one of the most popular burger joints in town. Locals often head to the “brewery” for lunch, while those who like a “sports bar and live music” vibe head here for dinner. The Smoky Mountain Brewery has awesome burgers, over 20 TVs, microbrewery, nightly entertainment, etc. If there’s a game going on when you need to eat, head to the Smoky Mountain Brewery!
2530 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863Click for a map & directions
865-868-1400
Daily Open daily 11 am – 12 am
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Website: http://www.coppercellar.com/Restaurant-SmokyMountainBrewery.html

Bullfish Grill
If you love seafood, then definitely check out the Bullfish Grill as it’s perhaps the best seafood restaurant in Pigeon Forge! We suggest this as a dinner option. Note that Bullfish is on the higher-end of pricing among Pigeon Forge restaurants, so we don’t typically suggest it for large families. It’s great for a nice-dinner-out option for couples and adults.
2441 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863Click for a map & directions
(865) 868-1000
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm | Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Bullfish Menus: Lunch, Dinner
Website: http://bullfishgrill.com/

Log Cabin Pancake House
There’s always a debate about the best breakfast in town or the best place to eat pancakes in Pigeon Forge, but locals have eaten at and loved the Log Cabin Pancake House for decades. Most of the staff have also been there for decades. It’s one of the few “original”, local restaurants that people keep coming back to for the food and memories. It’s nothing fancy…just good, local people serving good, homemade food.
4235 ParkwayClick for a map & directions
(865) 453-5748
Country Ham · Biscuits & Gravy All You Can Eat Buffet Lunch
Open Year Round
Open 7:00am to 2:00pm
Website and menu: http://www.logcabinpancakehouse.com/pigeonforge.html

Cheddar’s Casual Cafe
3240 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN
Traffic Light #6Click for a map & directions
Cheddar’s restaurant in Pigeon Forge opened in April 2013 with a massive menu with food that will please just about everyone. Their selection of great dishes and reasonable prices make it one of the best places to eat in Pigeon Forge, TN and is definitely a restaurant we can easily recommend!

Little Tokyo
We told you we had variety in this list, so here you go! The favorite Japanese restaurant among locals is definitely Little Tokyo. Great people and great food. If you like Japanese food, then check out Little Tokyo.
2430 Teaster Ln # 212
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863Click for a map & directions
(865) 908-0555
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11am-3pm | Saturday & Sunday 12pm-3pm
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 3pm-10pm | Friday & Saturday 3pm-12am
Little Tokyo menu: http://www.dininginthesmokies.com
No website

Map of the Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge, TN

Below you will find a Google map that has all of these Pigeon Forge restaurants listed so you can see quickly where each is located. Clicking on each will also give you links to addresses, phone numbers, directions, reviews, and more!

Final Thoughts about the Best Eateries in Pigeon Forge TN

As restaurants come and go, this list will change. Be sure to check back before you visit Pigeon Forge, TN to see if anything new has popped into the top 10 places to eat in Pigeon Forge! Our Gatlinburg Guide also has a list of the best places to eat in Gatlinburg, TN. We also have a guide on how to find Pigeon Forge restaurant coupons so be sure to check that out as well!

Also, we’d love to hear from you! If you’ve eaten at any of these restaurants in Pigeon Forge or know of other restaurants that should be included in this list, then please share your thoughts in our comments section below!

Hopefully this list will help you avoid the “safe chains” and provide you with a unique taste of everything Pigeon Forge has to offer. Wherever your choose to dine, we hope this ultimate guide to the best Pigeon Forge restaurants has helped you have a wonderful visit to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! Please share this Pigeon Forge restaurant guide with others using the sharing buttons below!

About Shane Eubanks

Shane Eubanks is the founder of the Insider Travel Group providing insider tips for popular vacation destinations throughout the United States. Get his latest tips about Pigeon Forge, TN by clicking the Google+ follow button:

When we were down there my father told me I had to try mama’s farmhouse. We simply loved it I liked how it was all u can eat but u didn’t go to a buffet they brought everything out fresh to ur table. The employees where very friendly.

When in Pigeon Forge Bennetts is the breakfast place of choice, buffet eggs, bacon etc. plus biggest and best variety of fresh fruit and dessert salads in town, plus a discount coupon in the Navigator booklet , waitress staff always attentive and very friendly.

We are coming to the area in a few weeks with our dog. This is a first for us and we are looking for places that have great carry out food. I know about Corky’s. And is there any place that has outside dining that is OK with a dog? I don’t want to leave the pooch in his crate in a cabin in the hills, but I do want to eat well.

The VERY Best place to eat breakfast is the Log Cabin Pancake House! My husbands family has been eating there for years and 6 years ago on our honeymoon he took me there for breakfast and I was hooked too! They have the best service and very nice, kind, caring staff that really cares. Also the food is always great never had a complaint at all! The Pancakes are Awesome!! So if you are visiting the area you have got to eat breakfast there at least one morning and trust me you will be hooked :)

Been going to Pigeon Forge all my life. Have seen restaurants come and go. Was shocked this weekend to see that Damon’s have closed. Remember when a two hour wait was the norm, but the food was worth it. However, I am pleased to see Cheddars; they have the best onion rings ever. Joe’s Crab Shack is great also; however, no trip in complete without breakfast at the Applewood Farmhouse
Restaurant. Amazing apple fritters and apple butter!

It has been years, but if the Log Cabin Pancake House had/has the
Archie Cambell theatre next to it. It was the only place we ate breakfast when we used to take our now grown children. Planning to come with my grandchildren and I would love to have pancakes. I was always happy to wait for a table look through the shop and meet new people. I hope I am correct. If not it still seems that everyone has nice things to say about the food.

We advise to include Blue Moose Burgers & Wings. We have been visiting Pigeon Forge for the last 4 years and always eat there at least 4 -5 times each trip! They have great wings with many yummy flavored sauces to choose from, and many other tasty menu choices as well. We highly recommend Mango Habanero wings if you like heat! Fun atmosphere with TVs for catching sports games. They are a sister restaurant to Bullfish Grill and the new Timberwood Grill, both of which we have also enjoyed. They have great lunch specials and any dish we have ordered has not disappointed! Great choice!

Log Cabin Pancake House is THE BEST Breakfast!!! My parents started bringing our family here 30 years ago and ALL of our family is still visiting for Breakfast during our vacations every year. Love it,,,,

I am surprised that you don’t have the Apple Barn on your list. When we visit Pigeon Forge, we always include the Apple Barn as one of our dining choices. We have been going there for years and are never disappointed.

Applewood is a great place to eat, but many visitors don’t know that it is actually located in Sevierville. That’s the only reason it’s not included in this list. We’ll perhaps create a new list of Pigeon Forge “area” restaurants and Applewood would definitely be included in that.